Jones says Old Fashioned’s surgery a success

The road to the Kentucky Derby ended abruptly for Old Fashioned Saturday when he finished second in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

His racing career is over now, too, after he underwent surgery at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. on Tuesday. After the Arkansas Derby, it was discovered he had a displaced slab fracture of his right knee.

“The surgery went well,” trainer Larry Jones said by phone from Kentucky. “Most likely, his career is over. If he were a gelding, he would probably go back to racing but he is going to have a good career at stud.”

Old Fashioned had been at or near the top of virtually everyone’s Kentucky Derby list of contenders after winning the first five starts of his career. He finished second in his last two Derby preps, being beat by 56-1 shot Win Willy in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn and then getting run down by Papa Clem in the Arkansas Derby.

Jones, who will have Friesan Fire (he worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 at Keeneland Tuesday) represent his barn in the Kentucky Derby, said he was looking forward to seeing what Old Fashioned might have done in the Run for the Roses.

“Absolutely, he was a very talented horse,” Jones said. “But if you look at any sport — baseball, basketball, football — you see a lot of careers end because of injury. A lot of athletes have a reason for having to quit and he (Old Fashioned) had to quit a little before we wanted him to. But he won’t be spending his older years in any pain.”